St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-07
ON A PLAGUE SHIP.
Experiences of a Passenger on q
Cholera Stricken Steamer.

Experiences of Passenger on a
Cholera Stricken Steamer.
NEW YORK, Oct. 6.-The Rev. DR..
Maynard, the lecturer, was one of the
passengers on the plaguestricken
steamer Alesia, which arrived here a
couple of weeks ago. He was seen by a
reporter yesterday and told the follow
ing story of the sad voyage:
do not know the exact number of immi-.
grants who were taken on board at Naples,
but 1t must have been about GOO. Among
them was party of about forty from Pal
ermo a plague-stricken city. None of the
few cabin passengers were of course, aware
of the occurrence at the time. and yet cir
cumStance which occurred before we started
aroused i'll my mind an underlined suspicion
that everything was not all right. The day be-.
fore we left the steamship people gave a re-
ception OH board the Alsea TO the Neapolltan
municipal authorities, who attended i'll grand;
state. 1t was quite a delightful occasion, and
am convinced now that it was intended to
molify the authorities on account of the COM
panys action i'll taking the Palermo pasSen-
gers. During the early part of the passage all
circumstances seemed to consplre to produce.
pleasure to all on board. For couple of
days a sirocco came across the Mediterranean
from Africa, but did not make the tempera-
ture unbearably hot. We were a gay COM
pany, the Italian emigrantS particularly so.
age seemed to have no effect upon their
spirits. They chatted and laughed and sang
and danced all day long and we'll into the.
nights. which were made more pleasant by.
moonlight. Among the emigrants We're
many of the better class of Italians. and their
really beautiful singing added greatly TO the.
charm of these delightful evenings We were
about twelve days out when the plague broke
out. Ayoung Neapolitan died: 1t was given
out that heart disease was the cause, and
there was at the time no ground for suppos-
ing otherwise, and yet. in some unaccount-
able way, all on board the ship became
seized with misgiving. Nothing on the part
of the captain, who was a particularly jolly
fellow, or the doctor or other officers indi-
Gated that the Neapolitans death was out
of the ordinary run of such misfortunes
yet it caused sudden fear to fall
upon the emigrants, the like of which
and very varied experience of travel met
with. From that time not a sound of mirth
was heard. The dancing was ended. Not a
note was sung. The funeral of the Nepoli-
tan was sad and impressive sight. and, il it
was possible. it increased the general dejec-
ton. i have nodoubt. that the condition of
mind of these people had a good deal to do
with the swift headway which the disease
made after it began its work. l never saw
such q complete surrender to misfortune as
these people made, and it presented all the
more startling appearance on account of the
light theartedness which they had at first dis
playeu. Ihey seeHSu lin us rags. lhey
made no struggle with fate, butsat or moved
about listlessly and lifelessSly and seemed
actually to invite death by their dread of it,
cannot give any particulars regarding the
progress of the disease or the number of vic
Tins. Strange to say, the disease first struck
the NeapOlitans and the proportion of the
stricken among them was greater than
among those from Palermo who imported
the disease The discipline on board was
perfect, and the doctor and his assistants
were untiring in their efforts The caDtaiD
out the entire trial in manner which now
| confess was inspiring. There were no
funerals after the first. Concealment of the
true state of affairs lasted but a short time,
and the victims were given to the deep one
after another, believe that no one really
knows how many died on board; every day
brought its fatalities